WWE just layed the smackdown on SmackDown.
In an effort to increase ratings and make the previously must-see show once again relevant to its audience, WWE on Wednesday announced major changes to the program. SmackDown will now air live every week with the show moving to Tuesday nights -- for the first time -- beginning July 19.
Not only that, the company notes that SmackDown will now have a "distinct cast, unique storylines and a dedicated writing team."
SmackDown debuted in 1999 as a live broadcast show, much like Monday Night Raw, during the boom period of professional wrestling. WWE booked it similarly to its signature Raw program and used the additional two hours of television to keep its viewers engaged in its characters and storylines through the long week.
However, once WWE conquered and acquired its competitors in WCW and ECW, SmackDown quickly transitioned to a true second-tier show for the company. It moved from live to taped -- save for an occasional live special -- and eventually shifted from Thursday to Friday night before recently moving back to Thursdays when the show returned to USA Network.
More importantly, creative lacked. Writing and booking was both stale and uneventful. SmackDown failed to advance storylines set in motion on Monday Night Raw earlier in the week, rarely created plots of its own and did little to promote WWE's upcoming pay-per-views.
Fans quickly realized that WWE was not giving them any legitimate reason to watch a two-hour taped SmackDown that was neither relevant nor particularly entertaining, especially after they had given WWE three hours of attention for Raw earlier in the week.
It now appears as if WWE has recognized where it's gone wrong over the last few years and plans to right the ship by making what look like drastic changes to the property.
"WWE's flagship programs will both leverage the incredible depth of our talent roster, distinct storylines and the unpredictable nature of live TV," said Vince McMahon, WWE's chairman and CEO, in a press release. "This move will undoubtedly build more excitement and deepen engagement with our fans around the world."
While changes to SmackDown are good in theory, ultimately the proof is in the pudding, as they say.
WWE has been promoting a "new era" within the company, but little has changed in terms of booking, character positioning and storylines over the last few months outside of the standard new faces popping up on television at the onset of the post-WrestleMania season.
Fresh storylines and a more modern perspective are what's ultimately needed for WWE to reconnect with some of the fans it lost when transitioning into a PG product following the "Attitude Era." These SmackDown adjustments look to be a good start. Hopefully, these tweaks are successful for WWE and allow it to realize that change across the board could make a major difference for the company.
